The research scholars will join a project funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation: "Transforming agriculture with agroecological symbiosis combined with cellular agriculture - Environmental impacts and perceptions of farmers and consumers”
The project explores the possibilities of reducing the harmful environmental impacts of food production through new technologies. The study models environmental benefits that can be achieved by moving to sustainable farming practices that combine biogas production and new cell-culturing based food production methods. In addition, the project explores the farmers' willingness to change their production methods and consumer views on new food production technologies.
The following work packages will be shared between 2–3 grant-funded researchers:
1) The potential of agroecological symbiosis to improve the environmental sustainability of agriculture
The aim is to model environmental benefits and disadvantages that can be achieved by converting conventional farming to agroecological symbiosis that utilises agroecological farming practices and biogas production.
Examples of suitable disciplines are Agronomy, Agroecology, Ecology and Environmental Science.
2) Environmental impacts of cellular agriculture
The task is to model the environmental impacts of new cell-culturing based food production technologies. Cellular agriculture means the use of cell-culturing technologies for the production of food and materials. The focus of the research is on cultured meat and proteins synthesised by microbes. The environmental impacts will be modelled by using life cycle assessment.
Examples of suitable disciplines are Science, Technology, Ecology, Environmental Science and Agroecology.
3) Qualitative research of consumers’ and farmers’ perceptions
The task is to find out the perceptions of consumers and farmers by qualitative methods. The consumer study explores people's willingness to change their diets and views of the new foods from the cellular agriculture. The farmer interviews will aim at finding out the farmers’ willingness and possible barriers for switching to use agroecological farming practices.
Examples of suitable disciplines are Consumer Economics, Social- and Societal Sciences.
The grant-funded researchers are required to hold a relevant master degree and have good English language skills. The selected persons are required to apply for the right for doctoral studies from the University of Helsinki within six (6) months after starting as a grant-funded researcher unless they already have the right for doctoral studies.
The grant is approximately € 2000 / month. The applicants should read the documentation related to the pension and insurance as these will affect the net amount of the grant. The University will provide working space and equipment at the Ruralia Institute’s unit in Mikkeli.
The application consists of the following documents:
1) A cover letter explaining the motivation of the applicant and the parts of the project that the applicant is interested in (up to 2 pages)
2) Curriculum vitae showing the applicant's education, completed qualifications, work experience and possible list of publications (up to 3 pages)
Send the cover letter and the CV to hanna.tuomisto(at)helsinki.fi by 31.5.2018 at 23.59.
For more information, please contact Senior Researcher Hanna Tuomisto (future food systems), +358 50 312 6089, hanna.tuomisto(at)helsinki.fi and Senior Researcher Toni Ryynänen (Consumer Research), +358 50 311 9398, toni.ryynanen(at)helsinki.fi
Grant recipient's statutory pension and work accident insurance: https://www.mela.fi/en/apurahammat
Taxpayer Taxation: https://tieteentekijoidenliitto.fi/files/2078/apurahatutkijan_tietopake…
The Ruralia Institute of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Helsinki offers high-quality research and innovation partnerships for rural development. The focus areas of the Institute are local development, sustainable food chains and new bioeconomy. The Institute performs extensive international, national and regional cooperation with about 50 experts in the University Consortiums of Mikkeli and Seinäjoki (www.helsinki.fi/ruralia).